CLERMONT, Fla. – The Macalester College softball team returned to its winning ways with an 8-3 triumph over Worcester State Wednesday morning at Legends Way Ballfields. The Scots are now 5-7 on the season and 3-3 in Florida with four games left to play. The Lancers drop to 2-4.

Macalester took control early with five runs in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore outfielder Safiya Butler (St. Louis, Mo./Whitfield School) led off with a single, then stole second. Junior infielder Elizabeth Welch (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) followed with a single that scored Butler from second for the game's first run. Welch's hit also was the 100th of her career in 93 games at Macalester. A single by sophomore catcher Dylan Tapia (Tarzana, Calif./Notre Dame) loaded the bases, and junior infielder Tess Bojorquez (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) hit a two-run single. Later in the inning, junior infielder Rebecca Heinze (Rosemount, Minn./Prescott) singled home Tapia, and junior Alli Johnson (Waukee, Iowa/Northwest) plated Bojorquez with a sacrifice fly.

The lead remained 5-0 until Worcester tallied three runs on five hits in the top of the fourth inning. In the bottom of the fourth, junior pitcher Martha Miller (Medford, Wis./Medford) singled to score junior outfielder Callia Holland (Akron, Ohio/Hawken), and sophomore infielder Ally Wolf (Valencia, Calif./Valencia) hit a two-run double to drive in Welch and Miller to restore the five-run lead, 8-3.

First year pitcher Ainsley Sullivan (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Latin School) entered the game with two out in the top of the fourth and retired all 10 batters she faced. Sullivan struck out four and did not allow a walk, hit or run in 3 1/3 innings to earn her first collegiate victory.

Welch was 3-for-4 with two runs and a run batted in, while Wolf and Bojorquez each had two hits, a run and two RBIs.

Macalester continues play at THE Spring Games with games against Kalamazoo at 9:00 a.m. Eastern and No. 14 UW-Whitewater at 11:30 AM Eastern at Hancock Park.